Page 1 of Imprisoned Obsession

Chapter One

Willa

“Hey, hey!”

A frantic voice buzzes from above me, overriding the screeching alarms.

My eyes burn from the smoke as bitter ash clusters in my lungs, forcing me to wheeze and cough painfully.

The man shakes my shoulders to keep me awake while ensuring that I don’t panic. He hoists me into his arms, the pressure crushing my ribs as my chest heaves.

“Hold your breath!” the fireman shouts, his oxygen mask muffling his voice.

I turn my head toward his chest and close my mouth. A wave of nausea hits the back of my throat as the bitter taste of smoke lingers on my tongue. I twist his uniform in my hands, the rough fabric chafing my skin. I use that aching sensation to keep my mind clear.

As clear as it can be when the building is burning to a crisp.

Then, an icy wind kicks the heat away from my scorched skin. Fresh oxygen soothes my sweltering throat, but it doesn’t help my hysterical heartbeat.

Dizziness blurs my vision, altering the shapes and coloring over them with a white haze. I slump against the man as his hurried steps jolt my aching muscles, but they keep me awake until the paramedics take me away.

My ears hum loudly, blocking the exchange between the fireman and the paramedic. I would have slumped backward if it weren’t for the paramedic putting her hand on the small of my back as she brought the oxygen mask to my face.

“I’m going to check your vitals, ma’am,” the paramedic warns.

I blink sluggishly as the burning sensation in my eyes worsens. Tears spill onto my hand as I shakily hold the mask tightly to my face. The edges cut into my skin, but I pay no attention.

“Are you in pain?” she asks.

I manage to croak, “No.”

I’m not in pain, but there is an indescribable weakness in my bones. I could fall over at any moment, my arms trembling when I try to adjust my position in the back of the ambulance.

“We need help over here!” someone shouts from a distance.

I squeeze my eyes shut, forcing the tears to run down my cheeks. When my vision clears, the severity of the damage makes it hard to catch my breath.

The building is engulfed in flames. The flashing lights and roaring flames are smothered by ribbons of charcoal smoke dancing aimlessly in the midnight sky.

A body is wheeled out of the apartment complex. Paramedics follow the stretcher to another ambulance as the firemen help them towards it.

It is burned beyond recognition as the paramedics wipe the blood off the face. My heart falls to the pit of my stomach, fear striking as I hold the oxygen mask more tightly to my face.

As they push the burn victim into the ambulance, one hand tumbles off the stretcher.

A brittle bracelet. The same one that Janice wears.

The mask drops from my hand as disbelief crashes over me. One foot hits the ground as the other gets ready to make a run towards her, but the paramedic holds me back.

“You can’t move, ma’am. You’re hurt!”

I try to shake her off, but her hand locks firmly on my elbow. She pushes me back and secures me in the ambulance again.

“I need—” I rasp distressingly.

“Your friend is in good hands!” the paramedic shouts.

They put Janice in the ambulance and drive off in a matter of seconds. Dust kicks up, but it’s the light gray smoke that steals my attention. I follow the hypnotic swirl and watch it blend into the air.

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